Saving lives and sometimes laptops

Working as an ESTA police operator for the past 5 years, Ryan is used to helping save lives and keeping the community safe – but on this unique occasion, Ryan was able to help a member of the community in a different way.

Ryan was riding the train on his way into work when he noticed that a woman got off at a station leaving behind her laptop.

Wanting to return the laptop to her, he went through the laptop bag and found an envelope with the owner’s name on it.

Just like at work, Ryan was focused on helping the woman as best and as quickly as possible - after some quick investigating on social media, he was able to track down the woman and as luck would have it, Ryan realised he had a mutual friend with the laptop owner and was able to reach out to the owner through the friend.

Ryan said that as a police call-taker he has taken many calls where people have been burgled or have had property stolen, and even though the laptop wasn’t stolen, he knew how upset the woman would be.

“I knew she would be pretty distressed, so all I was thinking was the faster I could get the laptop back to her, the better,” he said.

“It’s part of the role of a police call-taker to help people remain calm in some of the worst moments of their lives, and even though a missing laptop isn’t a matter of life and death, I knew it wouldn’t be a nice feeling so I wanted to try to reassure her as quickly as I could.

“The owner was very relieved and grateful and was able to quickly swing by work to pick up her laptop.

“As call-takers, it’s rare for us to hear about an outcome of a job because we are always onto the next call, but on this occasion it was great to know that it all worked out.”